Carlos Boozer called it getting back to "comfort" and it's easy to see why. After coming home with a split on their four-game Eastern Conference trip, the Jazz will return to EnergySolutions Arena for Monday's game against Toronto with a chance to make history.
The Jazz have won 18 consecutive games at home and can tie the franchise record with a victory over the Raptors, who will be making the last stop of a five-game trip. The Jazz are 28-3 at home this season and haven't lost on their own floor since Dec. 29. It will be the start of a stretch for the Jazz in which they play eight of nine games at home and hope to make their climb up the Western Conference standings. They beat Toronto in a 92-88 slugfest back on Nov. 14 in Canada as T.J. Ford missed a late three-pointer.
Andrei Kirilenko narrowly missed a triple-double against the Raptors with eight points, nine rebounds and 11 assists and could use a similar game after a forgettable two-point, four-foul night against New Jersey on Saturday.
NETS 117, JAZZ 115: The Jazz could only watch as Richard Jefferson's 5-foot runner bounced off the back rim and in with 1.5 seconds left Saturday, sending them home 2-2 from a road trip in which they'd hoped for more.
The Jazz couldn't build on the momentum after snapping Boston's 10-game winning streak the night before and watched as Andrei Kirilenko and Kyle Korver missed three three-pointers in the last 1:11.
All three shots were open as the Nets collapsed inside on Carlos Boozer, who matched his career high with 41 points, including 30 in the second half. Boozer went 11 for 12 from the field in the second half.
The Jazz went 1-3 on their last four-game trip before Christmas and suffered a similar fate in their final game as well. Dwyane Wade had a last-second jumper bounce off the rim and in to send the Jazz to defeat in Miami.
